Uzodimma regrets assault on Ajaero, says NLC strike politically motivated

Barely two weeks after the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, was allegedly assaulted by security operatives in Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma, says he regrets the attack on the labour leader.

Ajaero was picked up from the NLC State Council Secretariat by heavily armed policemen in Owerri on Wednesday, November 1 and taken to an unknown destination.

As a result, there were allegations by the organised labour that Ajaero was brutalised by the police authorities in the state. However, the Imo State Police Command said the labour leader was taken into protective custody.

Days after Ajaero’s ordeal, Uzodimma said the Imo State Government regrets the situation the labour leader experienced in the state. The governor who spoke on Tuesday at a meeting with the Imo State Council of Elders at the Government House in Owerri, said his government will not be cowed or intimidated by any non-state actor under any guise.

“The sponsored antagonism between Imo State and the national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress, politically sponsored antagonism – we are already handling.

“The government of Imo State regrets any assault meted on the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, but at the same time condemns in its entirety the attempt by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, to take the leadership of Imo State for granted,” he said.

On the workers’ salaries, the governor explained that his administration has cleared the backlog owed Imo workers upon the assumption of office.

In the wake of the attack, the situation forced the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to probe the incident.